Vending machine



2, 1 6, l T S R U H K R A P M. L

Dec. 28, 1926.

VENDING MACHINE Original Filed March 3l 1908 @w @m A HTTOR/VEY Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATv Ltlzil F l Q E.

Per.

LAYTON 1VI. PARKHURST, OF INDIANAPLIS, NDANA, ASSGNOR TO GEORGE B. EETES, TRUSTEE, OF CLEVELAND, OHTO.

vnivorive MACHINE.

Original application led March 31, 1908, Serial No. 424,304, renewed July 23, 1915 Serial No. 41,617.

Divided and this application filed This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, more particularly to machines for vending postage stamps, tickets and the like.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 424,304, filed March 31, 1908, and renewed on or about the 23rd day of July, 1915, Serial No. 41,617.

One object of the invention is to provide a vending machine having but few parts of simpl-e construction, compactly arranged and correlated to operate in a positive manner.

Another' object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of this character a mechanism for vending postage stamps, tickets and the like in which the controlling` and operating elements are so correlated to permit but one operation upon the insertion of a plurality of coins of a predetermined number. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a' mechanism of this character in which the controlling and operating elements are correlate-d to receive a plurality of coins but permit actuation of the mechaw nism only by the use of a predetermined number of coins for each` vending. operation or actuation of the delivery mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following` description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a casing containing a plurality of vending units each embodying` my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of certainof the elements for moving the set of coins past the arresting device.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings 1 indicates as an entirety asuitable housing. or casing adapted to re ceive. one or more combined stamp vending and money collecting units 2, 2, three such units being illustrated, in the drawings. The. units or. sections 2 are arranged side by sideA and may, be removed therefrom independently ofY each other. Each unit comprisesabox 14 that'isdivided into an up- April 11, i921. serial No. 460,593.

per and lower compartment by means of a slide or platform 21 supported by inwardly turned ribs 22 on the side Walls of the box. The lower compartment serves as a cash box. The upper compartment is subdivided by a vertically disposed partition 23, preferably mounted on the platform 21. Upon one side of this partition is arranged the vending or stampV feeding. mechanism (not shown), arranged to deliver the stamps or tickets through the opening` 100 (see Fig. 1), being guided therefrom by the fingers 50 of the 'deliecting plate 50. Upon the other side of the partition 23 is arranged the coin controlled mechanism for actuating the stamp feeding mechanism'. The coin controlled; mechanism comprises a locking cam 52, the periphery of which has a plurality of identically similar cam surfaces 53, equal in number to the number ofstamp sections on the stamp cylinder (not shown), one of the elements of the vending mechanism, and correspondingly positioned relative to the axis of the shaft 32. This cam wheel 52 is fitted, in any suitable manner, to the shaft 32 to turn therewith. At the bottom of each of the recesses 53 is a notch 54 adapted to receive the free endl of a lfocle ing dog 55 on a release rod 55. This release rod 56 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the partition 23, as indicated at 56. 57 is a spring secured' at 57 `toA the partition 23 and having its free' endY bearing against the release rodl 56` and normally pressing its end* carrying. the dog 55- toward the locking cam 52.

58 is a ratchet drive Wheelk suitably secured to the shaft 32 to turn therewith. Its periphery is studded with a plurality of teeth 59, equal in number to the number of locking recesses 54 onv the locking Cain 52, and each tooth 59 arranged to correspond with one of the said locking recesses on vthe locking cam,

60 is a bearing and guide bracket secured at 61 to partition 2 3" and having ay bearing opening at 62 for the shaft 32 and a vertically disposed guideway at 63. 64 is a main operating rod having its upper end fitted to and guided by theY guide 63 on the bracket arm 60, and its lower endextending through a hole 21" in the. platform or division plate 21. This operating, rod carries a laterally' projecting armA 65, preferably bifurcated to receive the lower end of a driving pawl 66, the upper end. ot which is toothed at 66 to engage with the teeth 59 on the ratchet 58, one after the other. The driving pawl 66 is pivotally connected at 66 to the arms 65. 67 is a spring secured at 67 to the rod 64 and having its upper end normally pressing outwardly on the lower end 66h of the oscillatable pawl 66, so as to normally press the. tooth 66 toward the ratchet wheel 58. The innermost section of the lateral arm 65 on the main operating rod 64 carries a slide 66 arranged to bear at its inner edge against the partition 23 and to keep the. upp-er end oi. the rod 64 suitably spaced from the ratchet wheel 58. 69 and 7 0 are lateral extensions carried by the rod 64;, each ot them being preferably biturcated to receive the reduced end of one ot the oscillatable links 71, 72, each ot which is pivoted to one'of said extensions. Each vot' these links 71, 72, has its upper end reduced in thickness, as indicated at 7l', 72', and fitted to oscillate in a slot in one of the slotted arms 73, 74, carried by the main operating rod 64. is a coil spring preferably surrounding the rod 64 between the lateral projections 69, 70 thereon and the division plate 2l, and tending to normally press the rod 64: upwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2. 76 is a plate, grooved as indicated at 77, to `form with the partition 23 a coin passageway 78, the upper end ot which terminates in a coin-receiving slot 99, and the lower end ot which registers with a. coin-discharge slot 79 in the division plate 21. 80 and 8l are slots formed in the plate 76 and each adapted to receive one ot the pins or projections 82, 83 which extend inwardly from the links 7l, 72, respectively. The upper ends oi the slots 80, 81, extend through the plate 76 to points outside ot' or beyond the opposite end walls ot the coin slot 77 so that when the rod 64 is in normal position at the end ot its movement upwardly under the influence of the spring 75, the pins 82 and S3 will be disposed to opposite sides of and beyond the path ot' movement of the coins through the slot 77, thus permitting the coins, when inserted, to fall or move to a position in the slot 77 below the pins 82, 83, as will later be described. These slots 8O and 8l are so shaped that, as the main operating rod 64 is depressed, the walls ot the slots lirst guide the pins 82, 83 on the links 7l, 72, toward the longitudinal axis of the rod 64, thereby simultaneously drawing together the upper ends of the links, as shown in Fig. 3, and then vertically downward, tending to maintain the links 71, 72 with their upper ends adjacent to the rod 64 and with the pins 82, 83 in the coin passageway 77. 84 is a coinactuated element adapted to throw the release rod 56 and the locking pawl 55 thereon,

away `it'rom the locking cam 52. l prefer to have 'this releaserod-actuating element t-l and anti-'friction roller. This roller Sel has an axial aperture 84. 35 is a piu extending through the aperture S-l into the metal ot the partition 23 and the coin guide plate 76 at either side ot the roller. The metal ot the coin guide is recessed at 86 to permit the roller 84 to be projected through the recess 86 and have its periphery engage with the trent wall ot the release bar 56. The diameter ot .the pin 35 is considerably less than the diameter ot the aperture 841- through the anti-friction roll-er 84, so as to permit lateral motion ol the roller relative to the said pin, while at the same time retaining the roller in the recess 86. As shown, the operating rod 64; is engaged at its upper end by a. tl'irust rod 90, which in turn is pivotally connected to a lever 33 which is pivoted at 88 to a 'bracket 37 supported by the housing 14.

In my present construction, the dog 55 vis arranged to be operated by a plurality of coins of a predetermined number or set and the devices 82, 83 are so correlated with respect to the arresting device 84 that a set of coins may be inserted in the coin slot and properly disposed and correlated therein, whereby such set of coins may be moved past the arrester to cause a single actuation ot the vending mechanism. As shown, the coin slot is oit sufficient width to permit the passage ot the coins edgewise, so that when a set of coins is inserted the lirst coin will engage and be arrested by the arresting device Si and the succeeding coins of the set will engage therewith and with one another, edge to edge, in the coin slot ready for actuation by the pins 82, 83.

In the drawings I have shown a mechanism in which the controlling and operating elements are correlated to actuate the vending mechanism when a set of two coins is inserted in the coin slot and arrested by the device 84. As will be understood from Fig. 3, it a set ot coins is inserted in the slot the first coin will be arrested by the device SLL and the second coin will engage with the edge of the iirst coin and be arrested thereby; it the operating handle S3 is then operated, it will move the rod 64e endwise, carrying` with it the pins 82n 33` which being guided by the slots 30, 8l, will move inwardly and engage the uppermost coin (second coin in this instance). As the downward movement of the pins continues. they will force both coins past the arresting device 84 and thus release the dog 55 trom the cam 52.

To those skilled in the art ot making mechanism of the class described, many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications ot my invention will suggest themselves, without departing :from the spirit and scope thereo'l. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

A vending machine comprising article delivery mechanism, a casing having a coin box in its lower part and a coin chute in its upper portion with a slot opening into said chute, said chute being of a length to receive a plurality of coins and of a width substantially equal tothat of the coins to maintain the coins in edgewise Contact, a laterally movable stop means projecting into said chute to engage beneath the lowermost coin, locking means for the article delivery meehanism arranged to be released on movement of said stop means when the coins are pushed past the latter, and means normally resting out of the chute and above the uppermost coin of said plurality oit coins but adapted on movement to initially enter the chute above the uppermost coin and to subsequently move downwardly substantially to said stop means whereby in one stroke, to push the plurality of coins past said stop means.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

LAYTON M. PARKHURST. 

